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Man… What is going on at Def Jam? They seem like they are moving more towards an R&B vibe. The money artists on the label are all R&B acts now. Then you have a bunch of Hip Hop acts that don’t really wave the Def Jam flag, because they have their own imprints… Luda (DTP and all his artists), Jay Z (Rocafella and all his artists), Jezzy (CTE), Fabulous (Desert Storm), Rick Ross (Slip-n-Slide)… etc…etc…
Who is holding down Def Jam?
The Roots??? Their first release on Def Jam (Game Theory) was just ok and the label still didn’t throw Ne-Yo or Rihanna money at them.
Method Man??? He hasn’t dropped an album in almost a year and he mos def ain’t getting Ne-Yo or Rihanna money…
LL Cool J???? He don’t even want to be there… Wait… Ain’t he on G-Unit???? LOL…
Redman??? “Red Gone Wild” is out… Ummmm… Well… I will just say… He ain’t getting any Def Jam push… Again where is the Ne-Yo or Rihanna money for Red????
Joe Budden???? LMAO…. *shakes head*
Lady Sovereign???? Why is she even on Def Jam??? *again shakes head*
Nas??? He thinks Hip Hop is dead… LOL... Naw, Nas got a little push… But Ne-Yo or Rihanna money???? I thinks not!
I could go on and on, but the rest of the artists are insignificant…
I remember when Def Jam was the king of all Hip Hop labels. As much as I hate Russell Simmons now; as a young Hip Hoppa, everyone wanted to get signed to Def Jam. Def Jam was the symbol of Hip Hop for many of its glory years… What has happened to our Def Jam? They are no longer on the cutting edge of Hip Hop… They are no longer breaking new artists with the voracity that only Def Jam could… This is the time where they have the means to break new ground breaking artists and change the game. What has happened to our beloved Def Jam Recordings?
Just like The Source before it… Everybody always wanted to get 5 mics… Now it don’t mean shit… Just like being signed to Def Jam…
I know you hate Russell Simmons, but it wuz better when he wuz involved. Def Jam got many talents, but they don't market there artist right. Interscope is doin what Def Jam wuz doin back in the 80's...runnin the music industry. Remember when artist were proud of saying, "Hey, I'm with Def Jam"...now you got kats who are embarrassed 2 be just Def Jam. They need 2 re-up and come out like it wuz '88 all over again.
Having a label under a label is the smartest thing you can do right now. You sign the label to a contract, not yourself. If shit hits the fan and you fall out with the label you can just cut ties with your own label, sell it and be out of the contract.
You are right JD... That is the smartest thing... Basically only using them for distro, I guess...
But, it’s more then just that with me... It's like where is the honor in that? What happen to the honor of being on a Def Jam or a Rawkus? Everybody wants to be able to say that shit… Because of the history… Like Danger said above "when artist were proud of saying, "Hey, I'm with Def Jam"..."... It's the principle of it... Ya dig?
^^^Exactly...it's like a badge of honor...Def Jam practically started introducing Hip Hop 2 the mainstream...it's history, but now it's like, Def Jam ain't even like it's glory days when you saw Run-DMC, LL, Rakim all having fun...now, it's like a miserable job 4 Def Jam artists...so you gotta rep your own label subsidary 2 have sum kind of pride in Hip Hop.
Word, Kas I feel you. Where's the honor? More like... Where's the dope artists on the label? Why wouldn't they pick up Little Brother or a veteran like Masta Ace?
^^^Becuz Little Brother is 2 intelligent 4 BET and MTV, and you said it 4 Masta Ace..."veteran"...Def Jam tend 2 shelve most of the veterans on dat label...
I agree with what your saying, but look at the music industry. Everything is so watered down and Russ isn't running Def Jam anymore, hes sittin back in retirement collectin a FAT paycheck every 2 weeks. It is sad, music period is pop and Def Jam is trying to adapt to the times. Theyre trying to play into the trend instead of being trendsetters which they where from '88 up to around '01. Also in response to artist pride of being associated to a prestigious lable was like a college grad getting an Ivy League education. However the standards have lowered and Def Jam is in "lets make money" stage.
